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A dog has three things on a husband: he is happy eating the same meal every night, he doesn’t talk back, and he doesn’t want sex. Which is why, on the really bad days, I prefer the company of my furry friends–the two Lab-Chow mutts that took me a year to house train–over the human ones.
Expectations, in general, are bit lower for my dogs than for Eric and the kids. All I have to do to get kisses is scoop a cup of dog food into their bowls and give them some water–and maybe let them out every so often to poop.
Research shows that pets can improve mood. Stroking another living creature–especially in a world as deprived of touch as ours–evokes the production of beta-endorphins just like the other depression-busters: meditation, exercise, music, sex (preferably with orgasm), prayer, good food, dancing, and yoga.
Here’s some of the latest information, according to Karen Schwartz, Director of Clinical Program at the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center:
“In one study, pets seemed to temper some of the psychological stress of being a caregiver to someone who is ill or suffering from dementia. In the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, men with AIDS were less likely to be depressed if they owned a pet than if they didn’t. Even dental phobia–an intense type of stress for some people–is counteracted by the soothing effects of pets. One study of patients awaiting mouth surgery found that an aquarium in the reception reduced nervousness when it came time to see the dentist, since people focused on the colorful fish rather than their anxiety.”
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Therese J. Borchard writes the daily blog, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet and is a regular contributor to the award-winning blog, World of Psychology, on Psych Central. Therese is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit. Subscribe to Beyond Blue, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter @thereseborchard.
Meet others on the journey in
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Therese J. Borchard writes the daily blog, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet and is a regular contributor to the award-winning blog, World of Psychology, on Psych Central. Therese is the author of Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Kit. Subscribe to Beyond Blue, visit her website, or follow her on Twitter @thereseborchard.
posted March 20, 2007 at 1:54 am
This society is lacking a lot more than touch..Although touch is a main ingredient in stress reduction and phobias; but lets not forget how touch tells another how much they are loved and needed..The stroke of a forehead or a hug promotes comfort and healing when one is suffering in any form. For someone to hold ones hand, just that alone helps another when they are anxious or not feeling well. So a pet certainly can help as they also love and know when their master isn’t feeling well. I know this for certain as whenever I cry, my cat suffers for me. She cries and paces before me. I don’t know, I’m tired of being alone, let’s face it, but my cat helps me to get by even during the night as I lay there, alone, night after night praying that something will change for the better somehow, someway, some day….
posted March 20, 2007 at 6:26 am
Only three things?